Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: In the bustling city of Goa, the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium is abuzz with the Late Shri Manohar Parrikar 3rd Goa International Open Grandmaster Chess Tournament 2025, which kicked off on January 11 and will conclude on January 19. Organized by the Goa Chess Association in collaboration with the All India Chess Federation (AICF), this prestigious event has drawn top chess talents from around the globe.
After four intense rounds, GM S.P. Sethuraman (India, 2560), IM Tologon Tegin Semetei (Kyrgyzstan, 2351), IM Alexander Slizhevsky (Russia, 2340), and IM S. Nitin (India, 2338) have emerged as joint leaders, each boasting a perfect score of 4 points. These players have set a high bar with their flawless performances, showcasing a blend of strategic brilliance and tactical acumen.
Hot on their heels are 10 players with 3.5 points, including notable names such as GM Diptayan Ghosh (RSPB, 2569), GM Alexei Fedorov (Belarus, 2409), GM Mitrabha Guha (WB, 2509), and IM Ethan Vaz (Goa, 2412). Other contenders in this group include FM Nguyen Quoc Hy (Vietnam, 2418), IM Aronyak Ghosh (RSPB, 2544), GM Siddharth Jagadeesh (Singapore, 2516), GM Nguyen Duc Hoa (Vietnam, 2359), GM Sayantan Das (WB, 2434), and Saravana Krishnan P. (KVB, 2244). These players are in strong contention and are poised to challenge the top spots in the upcoming rounds.
In Round 4, IM Tologon Tegin Semetei secured a significant victory over IM Srihari L.R. (Tamil Nadu, 2494), while IM Nitin S. outmaneuvered GM Boris Savchenko (Russia, 2481) to join the leaders. GM S.P. Sethuraman extended his winning streak by defeating GM Marat Dzhumaev (Uzbekistan, 2364), and IM Alexander Slizhevsky maintained his perfect score with a crucial win against IM Ayush Sharma (Madhya Pradesh, 2469). GM Siddharth Jagadeesh remained in contention with 3.5 points after a key victory over IM Shahil Dey (Assam, 2374).
The local Goan players have also made their mark. IM Ethan Vaz, with 3.5 points, is among the top contenders after his impressive win over GM Laxman R.R. (ICF, 2303) in Round 4. GM Anurag Mhamal (2499) and IM Ameya Audi (2422) have also shown promising performances, with Anurag defeating WIM Mrudul Dehankar (MAH, 2121) to reach 3 points and Ameya beating GM Raset Ziatdinov (USA, 2031) to take his tally to 2.5 points. Despite a tough match, IM Ritviz Parab (2371) stands at 2.5 points after going down to GM Mitrabha Guha.
As the tournament enters its critical mid-stages, the competition is expected to intensify, with several high-rated participants still in the fray. The next rounds promise to be thrilling, keeping both the players and the audience on the edge of their seats